Protests and Shutdowns Engulf 61st Venice Biennale Opening
The preview week for the 61st Venice Biennale, which opens to the public on May 9, has been marked by protests and a crisis within the institution. On May 5, 60 artists participating in Koyo Kouoh's exhibition 'In Minor Keys' performed 'Solidarity Drone Chorus' outside the Giardini, utilizing drone sounds from Ahmed Muin's 'Drone Song' (2025). Daily protests are set to continue until May 8. On May 6, the Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA) staged a demonstration outside Israel's pavilion, causing a two-hour shutdown, while criticizing the Biennale for allowing Israel's participation during renovations. Additionally, Pussy Riot and FEMEN protested outside the Russian pavilion. The European Commission had previously retracted EUR 2 million in funding on April 23, and the jury resigned on April 30, leading to changes in award eligibility. Iran also withdrew its pavilion on May 4.
Key facts
- 61st Venice Biennale preview week began May 5, 2026, public opening May 9.
- On May 5, about 60 artists staged 'Solidarity Drone Chorus' outside Giardini using Ahmed Muin's 'Drone Song' (2025).
- On May 6, ANGA protests outside Israel's Arsenale pavilion led to a two-hour closure.
- Pussy Riot and FEMEN demonstrated outside Russian pavilion on May 6.
- European Commission withdrew EUR 2 million funding on April 23 over Russia's participation.
- Biennale jury resigned on April 30 after legal threats from Israeli artist Belu-Simion Fainaru.
- Golden Lions scrapped; prize voting transferred to public, reopening eligibility to Russia and Israel.
- Iran withdrew its pavilion on May 4; Russia's pavilion will close on May 9.
Entities
Artists
- Koyo Kouoh
- Ahmed Muin
- Nadya Tolokonnikova
- Krišs Salmanis
- Solange Farkas
- Belu-Simion Fainaru
- Michele Chan
- Florentina Holzinger
- Charles Esche
- Pussy Riot
- Zhanna Kadyrova
- Dries Verhoeven
- Diane Mahin
- Miet Warlop
- Tori Wrånes
- Klara Kristalova
- Benjamin Orlow
- Ei Arakawa-Nash
- Oriol Vilanova
- Lubaina Himid
- Yto Barrada
- Nonument Group
- Eglė Budvytytė
- Sara Flores
- Tegene Kumbi
- Ayan Farah
- Asmaa Jama
- Warsan Shire
- Gabrielle Goliath
- Heba Abunada
- Ipeleng Christine Moholane
- FEMEN
Institutions
- Venice Biennale
- Art Not Genocide Alliance (ANGA)
- Pussy Riot
- FEMEN
- European Commission
- International Criminal Court (ICC)
- Associazione Difesa Lavoratori
- Unione Sindacale di Base
- Biennalocene
- ArtAsiaPacific
- Institute for Radical Imagination
- Sale Docks
- ANGA (Art Not Genocide Alliance)
- ICC (International Criminal Court)
- White Cube
- Finnish National Gallery
- Volcano Visual Studio
- Arsenale
- Giardini
- Israeli pavilion
- Russian pavilion
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Giardini
- Arsenale
- Central Pavilion
- Russian Pavilion
- Israel Pavilion
- Latvia Pavilion
- Iran Pavilion
- US Pavilion
- Viale Garibaldi
- Austria
- Netherlands
- France
- Japan
- Finland
- Iceland
- Denmark
- Nordic pavilion
- Belgium
- Lithuania
- Peru
- Egypt
- Morocco
- Congo
- Ethiopia
- Somalia
- South Africa
- Palestine
- Israel
- Russia
- Ukraine
- Qatar
- Pokrovsk
- Khan Yunis
- Gaza
- Namibia
- Johannesburg
- Chiesa di Sant'Antonin
- Scuola Grande di San Marco
- Palazzo Bollani
- Palazzo Caboto